The Little Things
by Thunder-Nari
Summary: Angel's putting his foot in it again. Luckily, he's good at talking himself out of it again. Sorta WesAngel preslash, or just friendship. Taking place in season one.


Just a little ficlet because I said I would. When will I learn? It takes me forever and a day to get around to fic requests... Oh well. Takes place in season one.

**The Little Things**

Every finger in that fine boned hand had been snapped, as delicate as they had always seemed.

Angel watched with a grimace as Wesley tried again and failed to grasp the pen in his shattered hand. The man was still stubbornly trying to do his research, complete with notes. Except that he couldn't with the fingers on his right hand splinted and braced.

Angel sighed and got to his feet when it seemed that Wesley was getting frustrated enough that he would be tossing his pen across the room at any moment.

"Hey, Wes."

Wesley jumped a little and looked guiltily up to Angel. Angel hesitated before making a vague gesture to the blank notebook in front of Wesley.

"Why don't you go home? Take a few days leave."

Wesley blinked at him, looking down to the paper. "But there's work," he protested rather weakly.

Angel shrugged to dismiss it and tried for an encouraging tone. He knew as he spoke that he had failed. The way that Wesley's shoulders slumped... "It's fine. You can't do anything here anyways and we'll be fine without you." He wished that he could take the words back instantly.

"I see." Wesley was already beginning to get to his feet, eyes carefully lowered away from Angel to the floor.

"Wait, Wesley...I didn't mean-"

"I think I know what you meant, Angel."

Angel watched with helpless confusion as Wesley stepped from the small office.

Great. What the hell had he managed to say this time?

Wesley slumped down into the chair at his apartment, hissing and jerking his hand close as it was jostled just a little too much. He instantly hardened and forced himself to withstand the brief pain. It wasn't much and a demon hunter really should be able to take it.

It didn't come as any surprise to Wesley that Angel had told him to leave. He was useless enough i with /i the use of his hand.

Only his third time out on a case with Angel and he had already managed to get his hand broken. Had nearly lost Angel the demon because of it. And he had been so pleased to see the look of concern that had come over Angel's face for a second. God, he was a fool.

Wesley scowled at the ground by his feet for a moment longer before pushing himself up and making his way to the kitchen. Maybe something warm would help to calm him a bit. Without thinking, he reached for the mugs with his bound hand. That and an unexpected knock at the door had him clumsily knocking two cups to shatter on the floor.

"Wesley?" Angel's concerned voice sounded through the door at the noise.

Wesley stared down at the glass in despair before sighing. "The door's unlocked, you can come in." His father would hate that he hadn't even spared a second thought to inviting the vampire in. He snorted derisively as he crouched down to begin gathering up the shards of glass, listening as Angel entered a moment later.

"Are you okay?" Angel wasn't moving any further than the door.

"I dropped a glass, is all." Wesley got back to his feet, dumping the glass he had collected into a nearby waist bin. He watched Angel with some worry. "Has something happened?"

"What? Oh." Angel shook his head quickly as he realized what Wesley was asking. "No. Nothing like that. I just wanted to, uh, make sure you were okay."

Wesley's gaze darkened slightly, hiding the hurt that Angel didn't even trust him to look after himself with an injury. "I'm perfectly fine." He shifted his weight and the remaining glass crunched under his feet in contradiction to that statement.

Angel seemed to jump forward at the noise and Wesley watched in bemusement as Angel grabbed another mug from the still open cabinet. He had to stumble back slightly out of Angel's way.

"What are-"

"I'm making you tea," Angel stated the obvious.

"I'm capable of doing it myself. I'm not a complete invalid." Wesley couldn't help the whiny snap that his voice took on.

Angel paused in his motions. "I didn't say that. I just think that you should rest. You know... So you can get better faster. And...come back faster. Because we need you there," Angel finished lamely, going back to his task of boiling water in an effort to cover his embarrassment.

Wesley stood back and stared at him. He couldn't have heard that right, Angel was only attempting at some nicety.

"That's kind of you, Angel," Wesley started after blankly watching Angel prepare the drink and wishing that the vampire's words could be true, "But-"

"No, no 'buts'. I mean it."

Wesley tried again anyway. "Yes, but-"

Angel turned and abruptly placed the mug of tea into Wesley's good hand, speaking firmly. "What did I just say?"

Wesley had the grace to blush lightly, ghost of a smile showing over his lips and looking down. "Sorry."

"Good. Now... Drink your tea. Rest your hand, and I'll see you at work."

The last had a hint of a question and Wesley let his smile show through a bit more. "Of course. Thank you. For the tea."

"Sure. I'll see you later." Angel smiled and Wesley watched as he took his leave with a glance back.

He waited until Angel was well gone before moving over to his desk and sitting. He sipped at his tea before taking out a pen and paper.

If Angel was truly waiting for him to get back then maybe he'd best learn to write with his other hand.


End file.
